Café Yumm! Joins Oregon State Bar for Sustainability

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Café Yumm! and its legal and business office have been recognized by the Oregon State Bar Sustainable Future Section as a “Partner in Sustainability.”

The Section created the “Partners in Sustainability Program” in 2012 in order to encourage law firms and offices of all sizes to adopt sustainable office practices. The Program honors those firms and legal departments at companies within the State that satisfy the Section’s criteria for sustainable office practices.

“The Oregon State Bar has embraced sustainability and lawyers in Oregon are following suit,” says Michelle Slater, section executive committee member. “It is encouraging that the legal profession is making changes to promote more office practices that conserve resources and show an awareness of the impact of the legal profession on the environment. Partners demonstrate a commitment to sustainability by incorporating sustainability into their office culture and practices.”

The Program’s criteria for designation as a “Partner in Sustainability” require that the law firm adopt an office sustainability policy and implement an internal education program. The Program also has criteria related to paper management, energy and water reduction, waste and toxics reduction, transportation energy reduction, and sustainable purchasing.

Café Yumm!’s sustainability initiative furthers its adherence to the Triple Bottom Line business philosophy of considering environmental costs of conducting business.

One aspect of Café Yumm!’s program includes a direction to use Green Power. Café Yumm! purchases Green Power from PG&E in the Portland metro area and EWEB in the Eugene/Springfield area.

“We are honored to be a Founding Member of the OSB Sustainability Program and to be the first legal department in an Oregon company to receive the honor,” says Ed Gerdes, General Counsel. “Our participation continues our commitment to environmental practices in everything we do,”

Café Yumm! has previously won several awards for its environmental practices, including the Chamber Award for Environmental Values and the Mayor’s Bold Steps Toward Sustainability Award.